Twilight runs

Mid year review...

2011-05-27T16:28:00.001+08:00

On this last day of the semester, it's time to look back and consolidate how was this first half of the year like. Taking a quiet break at tampines 1, NYDC cafe now. The morning was sports day at tampines stadium, then rush off to MOE for something, and finally took a long ride on the MRT back to tampines. Today I think is considered the least stressful day after several weeks, if not months of chaotic flurry of work that have left me but a spent soul.

What have I achieved? Is it something worthwhile? Honestly I don't know. What I do know is that my cubicle has been reduced to become a disaster zone of sorts. normally I'd try to do periodic mini spring cleaning, but this time round, it had been impossible.

I'm wondering how are my former colleagues in my previous school. Hope they are well.

I think it's kinda sad when your kids ask, "papa, are you going to work again?", when you are only going out to throw rubbish one evening. Yup. This semester saw many of my weekends and nights burnt with my CCA and department related work. Anyway, time to go. Semester two will be better.... I think....

19 Apr 11

2011-04-19T12:10:00.001+08:00

Blogging is a good way of introspection.
It (sometimes) forces you to think critically, reflectively about what is happening around you and so on.
Just seen the doc in the morning again today and he said something that has been said to me by many people (who cared).

"Take it easy, or you might just die."

As I do recognise that no one is invincible, and that we all naturally have to die one way or another, or even sooner or later. The fundamental question is HOW we die.

It might seem morbid of me to be talking about death, but hey! Its a good way to de-stress and seriously dwell on something that people always avoid altogether all the time. It helps one re-look and reset his/her priorities in Life.

Many many years ago, in my first few years of beginning teaching, I've worked like there is no tomorrow. Actually there WAS no tomorrow. 7 days a week, almost literally 24 hours a day, I'd be focusing on school work and was very much a (over)workhorse.

Then the wisdom of many near to me started to sink in, and I began to lighten up a little after a bout of depressive mood. And they all said, "Take it easy, dude.."

But now, its no longer that. The very possibility that I might just suddenly fall flat on my face while teaching or maybe never to wake up from my slumber is something that I'm truly starting to ponder.
Even a scarier possibility that stroke might occur and I become a vegetable and a liability to my family not to mention long term pain and suffering for my wife and kids.

"Take it easy, or you might just die."

So far I've heard 2 stories shared by my colleague and the kind doctor that I saw earlier. They shared to me about a personal friend/workmate of theirs, seemingly healthy, but obviously overworking just suddenly passed away, one in his sleep and the other while he was bathing.

"How do you want to die?"

I really don't mind getting all the eventual disease (hypertension, high cholesterol, etc) that one can easily get when one grow old, but to suddenly fall flat on my face or never to wake up is something that I am starting to fear intently.

So, now I need to finish this up and go take my compulsory enforced nap to sleep this flu away.
I do hope that I will wake up later......

*grins*

Photos

2011-01-30T23:43:00.002+08:00

LARYNGITIS

2011-01-06T11:54:00.000+08:00

By the 3rd day of sch, that "Lary" fella got the better of me and stealthily robbed me of my precious voice, and also gave me a new dimension to the meaning of frustration. First, it was 'denial' stage where I went to sch to see if my voice will miraculously come back or maybe my skills as an amateur mime artist will help me get by. But 'acceptance' stage came in swiftly and I had to go see a doctor to get meds and MC for this horrible ailment to strike teachers. Right now, the inflammation has somewhat reduced a bit, but from whisper mode, its now 'the horse is stuck there' mode. Throat is still pretty hoarse, though my whisper is slightly clearer now.

If you read the last comic above, I'm at this stage now. I've got no idea why, but apparently I've been sneezing my nose off this morning and the nose is starting to get runny.

An interesting observation, when you whisper to your colleagues, they somehow also whisper back at you. An automatic response I guess. When I tried to communicate to my boy, he is also whispering back at me. Sigh.... I need to get better soon.

Drive

2010-12-26T00:27:00.001+08:00

A lovely song that gets you into the relaxed mood of things.

Well, that said, I've been going for driving lessons throughout this Dec break to practise in anticipation for my driving test mid next month. It was good that this Dec break was slightly better in terms of slightly less distractions from Scout CCA and school stuff, so I could fully pack a couple of days a week of solid lessons and training. Crossing my fingers and hope that I'll pass the driving test.

Then again, even with a driving license, price of cars (with the ridiculous COEs) is absolutely beyond the reach of us little man on the street. Will the price of cars ever go down? Haha... In Singapore, price of things can only go up and not down.

Happy Christmas everyone!

2010-12-25T00:04:00.000+08:00

Are you happy? Are you truly happy this Christmas?
To all my Christian friends, have a Merry merry Christmas!

For the rest of us pseudo-Christmas fans, its a good day to just spend quality time with your loved ones, to cherish all the special moments with them.

Thinking deep, my above question begs to query you.
Are you truly truly happy?
Or is it just because people SMS you to say happy Christmas and a Happy New Year and you should be part of the bandwagon and do the same to forward the cute SMSs or Facebook messages to say Happy Christmas?

I'm no humbug, I love Christmas for all its lovely decorations at the malls, the cartoons and movies on TV, and just the big variety and availability of Christmas goodies like Christmas puddings, delectable Christmas Stollens, which I remember making it many many many years ago while I was in the local hotel training institution and attached to a hotel. It is still very much etched in my mind of the tall German baker whom taught me then (I've totally forgotten how to do it now) how to make an authentic Stollen, with the precise amount of raisins and mixed fruits, plus the rolling it out into perfect unique Stollen shapes which reminds me of military beret. Well, I've not tasted a Christmas Stollen for a very very very long time since then. Why? Don't know why, no time, no opportunity to find a good one I guess. So I think its a good time to see if I can lay my hands on one lovely freshly baked and showered generously with icing sugar Stollen.

Have a Happy Christmas everyone!
Are you truly happy?

Reflections reflections and more reflections...

2010-11-27T03:15:00.000+08:00

It is the time of the year again and yes... its time to reflect on how was the year.
Was it kind to you? So so? Or perhaps downright 'shoving your face down the concrete pavement to give you a gnarly face' kind of year?

Well, perhaps I shall put it this way. Work-wise, I think I've gone through better days. A teacher's life is no doubt tough, but when they say that it can be 'impossible', it actually can be very true. In all, this year was (still is) a tough year with a bit of 'impossible-ness' here and there.

My kids are getting bigger and I'm thinking, "What might become of them when they grow up?".
And then I thought of that song "Que sera sera" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVuEC3r7a-o
The song reminded me that we'll never know how is their future, so no need to fret except to make sure we parents do our very best to bring up our kids to be good people. And when I say good, it means a lot of things.

Personal life-wise, I know that I definitely need to get into a regime of activeness and exercise. It is actually quite grotesque that I seem to be getting thinner, and yet my tummy is slowly looking like a deflated football. Sheesh! As it is... All talk and no action....

Music...

2010-11-19T00:50:00.000+08:00

Got this CD from THAT CD SHOP awhile ago and I must say some of the song inside are quite catchy.
especially Magic Moments by Perry Como.....

Time

2010-09-12T02:10:00.000+08:00

It has been a long long time since I last blogged.
Almost forgotten about it.
Want to write something. But just too fatigued to do much.
Brain in semi-auto pilot mode....

Cool website - See live octopus realtime!!

2010-06-16T11:13:00.001+08:00

Click below for the website to see the octocam!
http://hmsc.oregonstate.edu/visitor/octocam

High-resolution version

Tian Tian curry rice here I come.... I hope

2010-06-16T11:10:00.001+08:00

Did PE duty for the O level MT exam last week Mon, 31 May and managed to grab lunch at the No Name Curry Rice stall at Beo Crescent. Ok lah... I personally prefer the pork chops to be more meaty & juicy... The curry was a bit on the spicy side which I didn't like. OOoo.... that reminds me of the Katsu don at Tonkitchi. Time to pay that place a visit soon I hope...

Are Singapore Teachers Overworked?

2010-06-08T02:07:00.001+08:00

Been following this forum on teachers and I must say that we are in pretty much a sad and sorry state.
The forum started with the forum piece in the Straits Times sometime back in mid May about some spouse of a teacher complaining and lamenting the plight if her hubby (a teacher)
http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_526768.html

When I mentioned that forum piece to my wife, she angrily retorted back at me and said, "That's exactly how I FEEL! I HATE your job!". Well, she wasn't really in a good mood at that time I think. But over the years in teaching, it is getting tougher and tougher. At the back of my head, I'm thinking, "Shouldn't it get easier as you get more experienced?" Well, there are a thousand and 1 reasons to explain this phenomenon, so...

click below for the forum to understand them all..... all 4600 plus posts of them now since it started on16 May 2010.
http://sg.yfittopostblog.com/2010/05/16/are-singapore-teachers-overworked

My two kids

2010-05-16T12:19:00.000+08:00

Sometime this year, managed to squeeze out some time during the March hols to bring the kids to Vivo city just for a simple family outing.

Quick update

2010-05-04T22:36:00.003+08:00

No time, so super quick update of the past week.
1. Broke my glasses = money fly away.
2. Thermal or whatever fogging of the drains at the base of the block created a scene similar from Alfred Hitchcock's novel, "Birds", except that instead of birds, it was cockroaches!!! Big ones, huge ones, medium sized ones all over the place! On the floor, at the wall, just scurrying all over the place! HELP!!!
3. Son high fever, so very very concerned and worried. This time round is probably the worst one encountered. The high fever seemed very persistent and the medication didn't seem to be effective in suppressing the fever. Hope he gets out of the fever spell quickly and soon.

Cravings for good Hainanese Curry Rice

2010-04-16T18:18:00.000+08:00

The last time I had a fairly good one was in Red Hill Close around Oct 09, when my colleagues and I went for some O level Presiding Examiners briefing at the Spring Singapore in Bt Merah.

Now I've been thinking of hoping to try out the ones that's mentioned in ieatishootipost.
Hopefully will be able to try at least the TIAN TIAN CURRY RICE at Bt Merah View
http://ieatishootipost.sg/2010/03/tian-tian-curry-rice-original-hainanese.html

and the NO NAME HAINANESE CURRY RICE at Beo Crescent, Henderson Rd.
http://ieatishootipost.sg/2008/10/no-name-hainanese-curry-rice-maximum.html

Happy song to get you smiling...

2010-04-05T01:25:00.000+08:00

Sting - Love Is The Seventh Wave

Metal teeth... or tooth I should say...

2010-04-03T00:34:00.000+08:00

Went for my final crowning of my molar last week and it feels kinda weird to have a shiny metal tooth replacing that molar. Awkwardly too smooth for a tooth when you feel it with the tongue.
I wonder as I grow older when all my teeth go bad... will I look like this? [see above pic].
Haha....

I am dreading to start the new term...

2010-03-22T01:33:00.000+08:00

This March hols is probably my worst one ever.
Of the entire week, its 4 nights of overnight duty and of the 2 nights are weekends... ugh... ugh.... horribly drained out with the main marking of the test papers just completed today.
Ok... what's coming up next.... hmmm.... let me see.... Set mid year exam papers.... planning & doing Scout stuff (which I get very pissed off when other people have no idea how much time, brainjuice and planning it entails and say, "Oh... Scout must be very fun harr, a lot of camping eh? So fuuunnn!"... Yeaahhh... riiiight...)...... Coursework stuff with the graduating class.... dept stuff.... Speech day food order for the whole sch stuff.... Sch cockpit stuff..... Lesson obs stuff (I get observed, not the other way round)..... lesson prep stuff.... my broken back that is killing me now and then...

Sigh....

Camp camp camp

2010-03-18T00:35:00.001+08:00

Another round of camping with the Sch kids again.
Tired tired tired... marking not done yet...
ugh...

Cat poop and broken tooth are bad combinations

2010-03-01T22:41:00.003+08:00

Last weekend stepped on cat poop in the morning and also broke my molar in the afternoon.
I was eating my Carman's Apricot Muesli bites and it broke my tooth.
Haha... and in my previous post I was extolling the benefits of Carman's muesli bars.
Ugh... Think it was probably some stone or hard seed present in the bites that bit my molar.
So there I was chewing away the muesli bites to stave off my hunger pangs and then the next thing I knew there was a pretty bad crunching and cracking sound.
I was thinking, "Shoot! Thats some pretty hard stone in there."
Then I spat it out and saw that some odd shape stone that was about 1 cm3 in size. Upon closer inspection, "Yikes! Its some darn metallic object! I think I'd better call up this company and complain to them." I thought.
There were still bits in my mouth and then I realised to my horror that it was my filling that was previously in my last molar tooth! Yaarrrgghhh!!!!
So I spat out as much as I could and went to get some water to rinse my mouth.

So, today managed to go see a dental surgeon, who inspected and X-rayed the tooth and said I have 2 choices. 1. pluck it out and so be it, but the whole row of teeth may eventually go off alignment. (Cheaper)
2. Do root canal treatment and then later crowning in 2 weeks time. (Cost is 600+ excluding cost of X-rays and other stuff and also excluding the crowning which will cost another 600++).

So I opted for the root canal treatment and the whole thing cost me around 760 today. Darn.... cannot claim Medisave leh how?

Fibre is good for you...

2010-02-22T22:00:00.002+08:00

Yup... as the header says, "Fibre is good for you".
Been taking quite a bit of vegetables, mandarin oranges and the Carman's Muesli bars.
As a result, my motion has been a little bit too regular these days.
Once in the morning and once at night. Normally its only once a day in the morning.
And the motion is nice, smooth and easy to poop out. So its kind of encouraging for me to continue with this regime of more vegetables, fruits and muesli. My favourite Muesli bars are the Apricot and Classic ones from the Carman's range.

My two little ones are growing day by day and of course its a joy to see them grow. But somehow I do dread the fact that they will eventually grow up and become either monsters or angels or some unrecognisable something. Like all parents, I do hope my kids will grow up to be good people and will make meaningful contributions to the society and all around us.

Tough times don't last... tough men do....

2010-02-02T22:02:00.002+08:00

Above is a pic of the time when we were still in active NS during the Brunei exercise. It was taken after we had completed the last mission and it was the end of the super tough, but super memorable time of our lives (Cicadas, Mt Biang, Parang! Parang! Dun have Parang!, Ice Lemon Tea, Swamp walk, Leeches, Hammocks, Rain, deadfall, scary ghosts in the bunk, etc). It was the year 1994. Yup... its been more than 10 years since then. Now a chapter of my life have finally come to a close.

I've finally completed my very last in-camp-training (ICT) which means no more IPPT, no more RT, and no more reservist duty. Though it ended with a different unit (as my original unit had stood down 2 years back), I look back and smile. It had been a lovely 10 odd years or friendship and camaraderie-ship with us oddballs with each having their own quirks and character.

Of course there is a tinge of nostalgia, but as Life being the greatest theatre of them all, "the show must go on...".

Thank you all, buddies from 5SIR, then 573 and also later 622. It was great knowing you all...

To Army we will go...

2010-01-25T01:19:00.002+08:00

Yes... very soon, I'll be in somewhere in Jurong in some far-flung camp serving what is to be hopefully my last In-Camp-Training. Cheerio!
Ugh... But runny nose isn't clearing up as fast as I would like it to be.
Last Wed & Thurs was bad with the worst of the flu in me, I thought it was just plain murdering trying to teach with your body in grimacing aching pain, your nose as clogged as a sink drainage chocked with thousand year old slime, your left side of your head with a self-tightening F-clamp squeezing your brains out with your left eye-ball as if its going to pop out anytime...
Finally managed to get to see a doc last Thurs noon as the fever started to spike and got my meds. But unfortunately I couldn't back to sch on Fri as my boy (who passed the flu to me) had fever.

I'm at least thanking that its not a tonsillitis which was a hellish experience for me during Jan 2009. Unfortunately, my little girl was diagnosed with that on Fri evening when we brought her to the paediatrician as she probably got the worst combi of flu (clogged nose) and tonsilliis. I hope my girl will recover soon.

O level results release today (11Jan)

2010-01-12T00:15:00.003+08:00

I'm very happy that my 4D students generally did well.
The results are pretty much a very good affirmation to tell me that what was done in 09 was correct and should be refined further to get an even better result next year. Haha...fat hope! which coincidentally the word fat is linked to this year's part A question.

Oh boy... another mad mad year again.... even madder still than last year...

As said, good effort = good results. To those who worked very hard for your FNN, you deserved it. Those who worked hard... well.. look ahead and aim to be even better in tertiary education. I'm always around and give me a ring or sms buzz if you have any queries about poly life... *smiles*

Dads should be dads

2009-12-30T00:08:00.004+08:00

Dads For Life from Little Red Ants on Vimeo.

Saw this vid from http://ieatishootipost.sg/.
Quite an inspirational vid for dads especially the young dads who have trouble balancing time with work and family.
I love my wife and my kids. But my job as a teacher in a 'good' secondary school is a toughie in terms of trying to establish the right balance.
Different people would have different definitions to the word "balance" and to me, it is vital that I am able to spend quality time with my wife and kids as much as possible. It is very easy to get all wrapped up with urgent work and killer deadlines, but everyone needs to learn where to draw the line when it comes to being overly absorbed and sucked into the blackhole of overwork.

So far so good I think. But 2010 is expected to be a bit more difficult year so lets cross our fingers and hope we won't lose a limb or something during this journey...

Cheerio!

End of the year reflection time...

2009-12-21T13:17:00.004+08:00

Yes... it is end of the year now and it is reflection time for me again. How are my blessings? Let me count the ways...
It is good to see that discipline in my former school that I've taught for 6 years (Rgt) has improved markedly because the few special people who are there care and fight with all their might to make the difference in the lives of many young kids who would have probably been on a downward spiral if not for these few very special people.
I read the ST papers today and was surprised to see Mr Gabriel and Jonathan Lian in an inspiring article inside.
I am not sure if I had taught Jonathan before, but I was sure he was troubled back then (some years back, can't rem when).
So I am very happy to see such good press and indeed some form of a pat on the back for the Discipline team there.
In all, I'm very happy to have worked with you Mr Gabriel. You are a indeed a tough guy with a BIIIIIG Heart! You are an inspiration bro! Keep up the fantastic work and carry on making differences (big or small) in your young charges' lives.
*smiles*

Source: Straits Times

Singapore
HOME > BREAKING NEWS > SINGAPORE > STORY

Dec 20, 2009
Handball helped him improve
By Jennani Durai
THIS time last year, Jonathan Lian was a teacher's worst nightmare. Fights, truancy and finally rioting landed him in the Boys' Home for three weeks.

Then, at the start of the year, he was recruited into a new 'gang' - Regent Secondary School's new handball team.

Barely months later, the change was apparent for all to see. From failing grades, Jonathan was scoring As and Bs.

On the court, he went from being a gang member to being team captain, and impressed enough to be picked to represent Singapore in next year's Youth Olympic Games.

The turnaround was complete just 12 months after his Boys' Home stint. Last Friday, the 16-year-old received his N-level results in which he scored an aggregate of 16 points - good enough for him to move on to Secondary 5.

Regent's team was set up in January by the school's operations manager, Mr Gabriel Rao, and teacher Justin Low. It comprised a core group of 12 Normal (Academic) students, all of whom were chosen because they had disciplinary problems.

Read the full story in Monday's edition of The Straits Times.

Weird things

2009-12-06T02:42:00.004+08:00

Saw a squashed-up frog today with its innards spewed out of its mouth in the middle the pavement. Ugh.... Poor frog. It was probably run over by a bicycle or maybe even unfortunately stepped on by a jogger or something.

The whole of last week saw me at ITE (Bishan) doing my 1 week work attachment with the Product Design department.
I must say that the hosts are really good and fun people who really cares about their students too. I mean between teaching in a secondary school and ITE, there are definitely differences. But the main fundamentals are the same, that is to teach with passion. Too bad I wasn't a D&T teacher or I might be really tempted to jump ship. Then again, MOE treats their teachers quite well too at least in the monetary sense.
A big thank you to the PD lecturers who made my experience there a fruitful and enjoyable one.

During the 1 week stint, I saw 3 of my ex-students from Rgt. It makes you feel a little old when you see students that you may have taught when they were in sec 1, sec 2 are now doing their tertiary education. Haha...

Other weird or funny things encountered during this last 7 days: a botak mynah bird, entering Dmn during the early evening and see no parked cars, ATM machine ate my money but thankfully coughed out my card before hanging on me and rebooting (called the bank people and they said it'll take 2 days to patch-up the loss of my $50 that I was supposed to be drawing out), got stuck in a bus-stop amidst heavy rain and got myself all soaked up....

Some thoughts

2009-11-25T00:34:00.003+08:00

Some encounters and thoughts during this couple of weeks.
- Never knew I could still walk ten plus kilometres of night hike with the Scouts. But not too good for my knees. Would need to have a better alternative especially for 2010 when they are going to have more of these night hikes. Need to check with Mr Mah on this...

- My blocked nose is starting to flare up again and apparently my boy also share the similar fate. Must be the air... Too much pollen or something?

- Read the papers today. Antarctica is melting too fast. I have an ominous feeling that it would be soon (maybe within 2-3 decades) before Singapore starts to get submerged? Look at what is happening in our neighbouring ASEAN countries. Floods are getting ridiculously crazy. I fear for our future generation. We'd need to build homes under the sea very soon.

- Daughter slowing learning to walk. Haha... she cracks us up a lot. What a joy.

Old man who loves old songs...

2009-10-20T23:33:00.003+08:00

Always known this song as the "Kumbaye" song, but didn't knew who was the singer...

Ahh, now I finally know... Julia Fordham... Nice....

Sting - Love Is The Seventh Wave

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvkxle5M2E4

Sting - It's Probably Me

Olivia Ong is a really talented Jazz Bossa Nova singer.

By the way, do you know that she is a Singaporean too?

Retrospection

2009-10-20T00:51:00.007+08:00

With this nagging back pain, I've been thinking a lot.

One of the things I've been thinking about is going back to practising Kendo.

Actually, Kendo practise is very vigorous and physically demanding. So, I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to don on my Kendo gi and step into the dojo at all.

Sigh... Been feeling downright unhealthy.

Too much coffee, tea and overwork.

In case you are wondering where am I.... I'm the one with the tongue sticking out. The photo was taken either in 1997 or 1998. Can't remember. In the middle sitting down is our beloved Kato sensei. He is back in Japan and came back to visit earlier this year at Joshua's place.

Happy Fatherhood Joshua!

Kato sensei was a very inspiring and respected teacher. I could remember his booming voice with his Japanese accent saying, "YES!" whenever we did the correct 'men' hit.

Pain - Part 2

2009-10-12T13:26:00.002+08:00

Following my really back breaking experience on Friday, things can only get worse. For the better part of Saturday night and the majority of Sunday, it was the runs. I had food poisoning, which I deduce it was from the Chicken rice I had for lunch on Saturday noon. Fortunately my boy whom I fed him the rice wasn't affected. Think it was the chicken meat that seemed to semi-cooked, but I was too hungry to really care that time.

I guess this is what they would call a 'double-whammy'. Ugh. Pain at the tummy and at the lower back. The tummy ache got better by Sunday evening, but the back aching still persisted. This set me to do some serious thinking into how I am managing my lifestyle and my body.

Lesson no. 1: Too much coffee.

I realised that I had been consuming coffee almost on a daily basis in these last few years. Previously I was only an occasional coffee drinker, but now it has become a craving, but not quite an addiction as yet. So, I am sobering up and will be severely cutting down on my intake. I think once a week should be alright.

We all know that excessive caffeine intake causes loss in calcium from your body. So, I'd better start now or the next thing I know is that I'll be diagnosed with osteoporosis.

Lesson no. 2: No exercise.

This is also one of the reasons for my back pains, as the muscles at that region is weak.

But honestly, I haven't really thought of the best way to exercise effectively to improve my muscle tone. Maybe some Yoga-inspired exercises? See first lah.

Lesson no. 3: Eat well.

I've also realised that I had been surviving on biscuits and more biscuits in these last few years of teaching. Of late I think it got worse to the point of surviving on just sweets and gummy bears. Sad eh? No excuse for being overly busy and neglecting your nutrition. And now you see? Your body is 'telling' you to smarten up, before it gets worse.

So, I'd better source and stock up my pantry with my fav Carman's muesli bars plus other small nutritious bites.

Time to take my medicine........

PAIN!

2009-10-10T00:21:00.002+08:00

Arrrruuuuggghhhh!!! PAIN!! I was effectively immobilised with my sprained lower back. The strong pain killer didn't really help for the first half hour, it only helped me to puke. I didn't take the antacids that went along with it. So it effectively puked my entire dinner out into the toilet bowl. Ok... I shall heed the doctor's advice and take it with the antacids.

The pain is still there, but at least I'm a bit more mobile now.

Got to go rest. Cheerio!

Totoro

2009-08-26T23:01:00.003+08:00

As you can imagine how catchy songs stick with you in the head and you just can't shake it out.

Well, lately my boy has been watching the Totoro DVD which I had kept for ages and I can't count how many times he has seen over and over again.

Since I'm at it. Might as well introduce the World of Studio Ghibli to the uninitiated.

I also love one of his other latest works in recent years "Spirited Away".

His animations are normally infused with a lot of beauty of green nature, beautiful music and moral themes.

http://www.onlineghibli.com/films.php

http://www.nausicaa.net/wiki/Main_Page

http://www.bauzon.ph/cynthia/ghibli-museum/

We got 1st and 2nd!

2009-07-28T00:28:00.006+08:00

Our students won the 1st (prawns on waffle dish) and 2nd (potato ball dish) placings in the Lam Soon CC Healthy Salad competition last Sunday.

It was a good show by all our students and they all did very well in the face of the tension and pressure of timing to complete in 45 mins. It was a good effort from all the 5 teams who had taken part and the experience was indeed good for all of us. Its the first time for me coming to this competition.

I wonder if there are other such student-based cooking competitions around too?

...

2009-07-15T23:28:00.000+08:00

Parrots are nice

2009-07-13T00:38:00.003+08:00

It was a fine Sunday morning and saw a pair of beautiful parrots outside our balcony perched on the tree eating the fruits. It was a rare sight and I snapped a few shots. Its these kind of moments that you wished you had a camera with better zoom.
My boy was intrigued by the sight of the parrots.

Some easy listening music

2009-06-27T00:02:00.007+08:00

Above are two versions of Barry Manilow's "Can't Smile Without You". The young him and the old him. Any diff?

Darn.. It apparently seems that CD music is dead, if not dying...
I can't find any music stores that sell music CDs any where in Tampines! Been wanting to get Sting's music CD....

School is reopening next week and the H1N1 is getting cases reporting and rising on a seemingly exponential way. Really hope that the government won't announce any school closures since the mortality of the H1N1 flu is not so serious as the SARS.

Seriously doubt any school closures will have any good effect in slowing the infection rate. But honestly, the health ministry should double up its steps in educating more people and the public on good personaly hygiene. That'll probably be more effective in controlling the spread.

As known, flu affects the very young, the old and the sick more than healthy individuals. So, I'm quite worried for my two little ones.

My little ones

2009-06-13T02:45:00.002+08:00

Taken a few months back....
Recent shot....

Ahh... Parenthood... its a tough job, but the rewards are immeasurable...

Bombs away again...

2009-05-25T23:30:00.004+08:00

About a week after I got bombed by the dumb bird, it is with great misfortune and displeasure that I got hit again. Hmm... What is happening here?
I was walking home the other day and near the base of my block just before I was to get into the safety of the void deck, something got onto my shoulder and splat onto the floor. It was something blackish and pastey. "Ugh. Not again..." I thought.

Anyway. Didn't strike lottery the last time.
Ok, for this year, I've stepped on doggie or was it catty poop and now two times of bird poop. What's next? Ant poop?

Scrumptious photography and other foodie sites

2009-05-14T14:37:00.005+08:00

http://www.scrumptiousphotography.com/
I did a random search and stumbled upon this useful site with good pics with the recipe to go along with the pictures. The author even has commentary of how he felt about certain areas that was ok to him and not ok to some other people.

http://slowfoodsingapore.com/
In this fast-paced world of ours with Fast food, fast cars and fast whatevernots, it is increasingly clear that there must be balance. Just like the Ying and Yang, the counter would be Slow Food!

Founded in 1986, Bra, Serralunga d’Alba and Barolo, Italy; it has grown to become an international body that promotes Slow Food or the fine appreciation and enjoyment of cultures, tastes, and celebration of cuisine itself.

I personally would love to join their gastronomic degustations but I'm kinda broke. Well, if you can afford to shell out S$120 for membership fees a year, which excludes the almost monthly dining experiences of about S$120 (depends on which which month's restaurant and menu appeals to you), I guess its only after I retire in 25 years time before I get to Slooooooow down and start enjoying food as it is. But maybe by then I'd have too many 'gastricnomic' ailments to really enjoy any food at all. Sigh, how sad if so eh?

If you've got that extra bonus still tucked away in your savings account and are a food fanatic that love fine cuisine and great company, then you'd want to consider joining as a member?

Cheerio!

Bombs away!

2009-05-07T22:58:00.002+08:00

I got hit by bird poop earlier in the evening.
Was walking with my wife to go pick up our son from the nearby childcare and suddenly a bird swooped in from above and sent a spray of poop down! My wife's reflexes was faster as she noticed it first. It was too late for me, but fortunately I was able to 'siam' just enough from being bullseyed on my head.
The little splashes of poop landed on my bermudas and the lower front of my shirt. Sheesh! I got to go and buy TOTO soon.

First time in my life I got hit by fresh bird poop from the sky!
It had pieces of reddish stuff that looks like skin from a fruit or chilli.

Food art cute!

2009-04-26T02:00:00.003+08:00

Cooking Enrichment course for the F&N students

2009-04-13T18:42:00.005+08:00

The kids went on a cooking enrichment course at the Singapore Culinary Institute. Not bad actually. Initially I thought it might be at some crummy cramped up place, but the place over there is actually quite big enough to accomodate almost 70 students.

Unfortunately, it was a situation of too little time and too much to cook, though no body's complaining about the amount of food. A little bit too much? In all, I guess everybody had a great time in the cooking spree and learnt quite a bit in terms of skills, tips, secrets and techniques by the Chefs from the Singapore Muslim Cooks Association.

Hmmm... I wonder what will we be doing for next year. Its an exciting start. Ugh... Back to exam paper setting...

Oh yah, if 5A & 4D F&N are looking at this, you can go to egenie, under e-lesson to download all the other photos I've taken. They are in zipped format.

fever!

2009-03-27T23:37:00.003+08:00

Oh boy... my litle one is sick again.
Thats probably the third time in a month's time.
Its a viral fever the doc says and it will be at least 3-4 days before the fever will subside.
On Thurs, brought him down to my in-law's place to care for him till I knock off and go pick him up, but my mum-in-law called me up and said that his fever shot up to 39 degrees! Yikes. Then I had to quickly go and bring him to see the pediatrician.
When I got to my in-law's place, his fever was at a high of 39.7 degrees. Fortunately after giving him the fever meds and sponging him, the fever went down a bit.

My wife and I have unnanimously agreed that the childcare is probably a stressful experience for him as he has to get up very early in the morning and limited afternoon naps. Have to bring him back home earlier and get him to bed early. Hope his immunity levels will get better.

LadyBird

2009-03-17T13:54:00.003+08:00

The ladybird apparently found it quite comfy to be on the fingertip of one if my student. Took the shot with my trusty SONY T-9 with Macro function enabled.
Ah... My very first macro shot with my T-9.

Old photo

2009-03-10T22:41:00.002+08:00

This was taken in 96 or 97 I think. My first Adventure outing with TPAC and it got me hooked. These are a bunch of teaching fellows from MIT back then who were pretty much an interesting bunch. I remember one of them (Mr Weiss) who was a facillitator for our tutorial group on mathematics or something had great difficulty communicating with my tutorial group as the majority of my group mates couldn't understand his American-accented English and he was talking way too fast to 'catch any ball'. It got better by the 3rd or 4th tutorial lesson. I was ok to his accent back then perhaps was due to my regular diet of English movies and tv shows.

New template

2009-03-09T01:55:00.003+08:00

As you can see I have changed the template that I had been using since I first started this blog in May 2005. Wow! Thats about 3 plus years eh? Common test this week. Got to try to clear all the other marking stuff quickly before my papers come in.
Cheerio!

I'm on IEATISHOOTIPOST!!!

2009-03-03T23:47:00.005+08:00

Hey! Thats me!
We had invited the food blogger, Dr Leslie Tay of ieatishootipost.sg/ to come down to our school to conduct a workshop session on Food photography and boy was it fun and useful.

I now finally know that the macro function of my Sony cybershot T-9 is that little flower button. What a revelation for me!
Anway, for us noobs to basic photography, the session was indeed quite well done up and many many thanks to Dr Tay who donated to us his valuable time and energy to help us. Again, many thanks to the humble guy who eats his shepherd's pie

Bonkers

2009-03-02T01:20:00.006+08:00

this entire week saw almost my entire family down with fever.
It started off with my boy last Sunday, then my wife took leave to take care of him for the next 2 days, thereupon my wife got the viral fever from him and the nanny called to say the our little girl is also down with fever.... ugh... then over this weekend, while taking care of our little girl, my wife's fever came back with a vengeance. Help! I mean me... I'm the one who isn't down with the fever, but I am dead dead dead daed tired out.

Also have my common test papers not completed yet!
Arrrgguuuhhh!! Brain is already half-switched off yet the body is still inching slowly in setting the 2nd paper with the little time left.

Luckily our girl got better on today (Sunday), but wife still not too good. The entire week saw me worrying for 1,2,3. Sheesh...

back to setting...

Feeling old and older

2009-02-24T21:55:00.002+08:00

As I watch my children grow up, the nudging feeling that I am getting old and older seems to be getting more and more obvious.
This is when Coffe shop drink-aunties refer you by the title of 'uncle'. Anyway... A quick posting here before I go back to setting my common test papers and marking..uugghhh...

diarrhoea is bad...

2009-02-11T23:48:00.002+08:00

My boy and I had diarrhoea last Sunday noon, but apparently my boy had it quite bad. His went on though Sunday night to next day. So no choice but to take urgent leave to bring him to see the doc.

Then a few days later it was Mei mei's turn to get some problem. Sigh.. So troublesome right?
So busy was I with the kids that I could do much work at all.

Still have common test papers to set plus next week's NE week thing. And the list of things to do goes on and on and on....

gtg n zzz ... brain saturation with fatigue.

What am I reading now...

2009-01-22T16:54:00.003+08:00

Today in the morning was reading period and I picked out my old book which I didn't quite finish. It is a very old publication that was printed in 1974. A very old book.
It was given to me by my Kendo senior and mentor, Mr Chan Cheow Lin who is the president of the Singapore Kendo Club many years back when I was active in practising Kendo.
I had read it a few times before, but it is an inspiring read that never fails to enlighten you on some problems you may have in life.
Haha... Its not a magic book, but it gets you thinking about why was he such a fearsome, skillful and strategic-minded swordsman.

Every office needs a Darth Vader!

2009-01-20T23:20:00.004+08:00

Haha... This is very cute.
Very cool I must add.
I wonder if I can make a poster out of it and hang it on my cubicle.

Stepped on dog or cat poop

2009-01-18T17:12:00.002+08:00

Last Friday was a 'lucky' day for me.
I stepped on poop.
Luckily I discovered in time and got it washed clean.
When and where did it happen?
It was behind the guard post's grassy patch and I thought I missed the poop as I saw it, but still the poop somehow got underneath my shoes.

Tired, fatigued, but mentally fighting fit

2009-01-14T23:17:00.002+08:00

I think it is quite 'sian' (tiring/bored) to see my blogs to be always commenting on the negative stuff. I have been almost always posting stuff that I'm tired this I'm tired that, sick this sick that. One will be thinking, "Man... Can't this guy say more positive things?"

In the first place, this blog of mine started off for me to blow off steam. A place for me to rant and rant and complain and complain. And when I'm happy and healthy... of course I don't complain lah. *grins*

Anyway, I know that my students, ex-students and friends read my blog now and then. So I try to put content that might be interesting and perhaps they can learn from it and refrain from being like me in those situations.

Oh yes... My resolution for 2009.
Not telling you.. haha

Perhaps just a small peek.
"The betterment of self"

Just blog it...

2009-01-12T01:56:00.002+08:00

As Nike's saying goes... jsut blog it...
Going to just rant away.
Today (Sunday) is a good day of family togetherness.
Felt closer to my little ger today.
Getting warmed up and I guess love grows.
But such love is bad for your back too.
Carrying my boy around is detrimental for your lower back.
And he weighs a tonne, I mean literally.
At ten plus kilos, I think I have broken my back a thousand times.
Sigh... I can imagine myself ten years down the road... Bent...
I already look like a scrummy old man who is as hunched as any old ah pek. My wife always say that. Maybe its a curse...

You see, when you grow old... all these ailments start to tell you something.... Yah... they all unannimously say this... PAIN!!
I'd better go and see a therapist.

tired....

Blogging my pain...

2009-01-05T23:06:00.002+08:00

My throat still hurts though is it not as bad as when it first started early last week. Swallowing is a lot better now and I can consume most kind of food now. Still, spicy food is not quite ok for the moment. I miss Soba noodles. Hope to eat some next week Monday when I go for the briefing at MOE. Then I can mosey along with my old friends to Sushi Tei and have some nice cold and yummy soba.

I shall try Shimbashi Soba at Paragon sometime if I get the opportunity to be around there next time.

Ice cream is a BAD choice

2009-01-02T00:19:00.002+08:00

Just had my ice cream and I think I ought to blog this to warn others. Ice cream is a bad choice if you think it is reasonably ok since its cold and smooth and should not offend the tonsilitis gods who will raise their pikes onto your tonsils with any contact of any offending food or fluid.

The thing is that ice cream is just too cold and it made the surronding tissues very very sensitive. So the pain was more acute. OUCHH! Apparently cold water is fine since its not exactly ice cold...

Tonsil-what? Tonsilitis....

2009-01-01T23:32:00.003+08:00

I think I may be having tonsilitis.
As I have never had such bad case of severe sore throat whereby I can't even swallow anything. I am deducing that it is the one.
Worse case is that I am taking a course of strong antibiotics but it is not having any effect, so it is a viral cause.
Now I am afraid that I might pass it to my little boy.
Its been almost 4 days of (very) painful swallowing and my food is self-limited to liquid and soft food. Then again, swallowing anything is still painful, saliva included.
It hasn't shown any signs of getting better, but I hope it will soon before next week Monday, whereby I have start the new school term. Augh... Madness and chaos is once again rearing their ugly heads...
I'm going to get me some ice water now.... Cold water helps... and anything warm feels like fire down my throat.
Lunch and dinner time would see me grimacing with every swallow of the food, which I don't take too much though.
Think I have lost a few kilos from this event.

Sigh...

What a painful way to end the year...

2008-12-30T09:46:00.004+08:00

A few more days to 2009 and unfortunately I'm down with a pretty bad fever and a terrible sore throat (the kind that is painful to swallow anything). I hate having fever, especially the kind whereby the muscles in your whole body is in aching pain and just a breeze of the wind, you get the shivers. I think this sickness is probably the worst one that I have ever had in two years. The last one (high fever) was bad, but this time with a super combi of fever plus very painful sore throat, its just unbearable.

Its Chrismas day... again...

2008-12-25T01:13:00.003+08:00

Time flies either when you are having fun or none.
Anyway, the year 2008 is coming to a close and it has been an eventful one for me. The whole family is down with the flu and a virulent one it is. It started with my boy and I. I suspect it must be from one little boy with the 'leaky-tap' nose from the childcare centre.
Then my wife and now my little girl.

As I type with my brain all saturated with all the to-do-lists-for-work-before-2009, family-challenges, personal-inner-demons-to-fight, plus many other miscellaneous stuff; I have come to the point that it is REALLY very tough raising a young family with two tiny ones in tow. It kind of makes one appreciate his parents a lot more. And my parents had the 4 of us which I think they have truly sacrificed and toiled much in raising us up to be fine young people.

I used to think that having challenges is a good thing as it hones your character and makes you a better person. But sometimes, I feel sorted of defeated when too much goings got too tough to handle. Fortunately, as my mentor once said, "Tough times don't last.... tough people do...". Thankfully, those words hold a lot of truth in them and difficult times indeed do not last too long (depends on how you view or percieve the duration though), and before you know it, the good days are just up ahead.

So enjoy this song and enjoy the company of your loved ones, other ones, someone, no one this Christmas.

Monster Allergies!

2008-12-10T00:51:00.002+08:00

Oh dear oh dear...
My boy had a bout of bad allergies and developed hive-like bumps all over his body. Scared Mummy and Daddy.
So far he is seemed to be ok, but had a bit of fever.
Think it was due to the bread he ate this morning..

Mao Mao video

2008-11-30T13:39:00.002+08:00

Didn't realise that I uploaded this short clip of Mao mao a long time back 2 years ago. She is wearing an Elizabeth collar because she has fur mites then and had applied medication on her fur. The collar is to prevent her from licking her fur. Poor cat...

Convoked....

2008-10-28T02:24:00.002+08:00

My recent convocation at uniSIM.
Reminds me of Harry Potter, just that I'm short of the magic wand to turn my fortunes around.

My little ones

2008-10-02T01:54:00.002+08:00

A photo of my dear little ger with some photo editing to tweak it a little.

Kor kor and mei mei...

Baby oh baby... how I love you so...

2008-09-05T01:13:00.003+08:00

This is baby no. 2.
Sheesh... I'm absolutely deadbeat...
ugh... Still have coursework files to mark plus exam paper to set...
ugh.... I think I should seriously think about outsourcing...
Maybe I'll contact a few other teachers to ask if I could pay them to help me to set papers... hahahahaha.... Like real...
Head is really at bursting point now. Eyes are also feeling as if it is going to roll out of my eye sockets anytime..
Got to go snooze now. Tomorrow is Friday... Opps... It is already Friday now. 1 plus am now...

Ohh... I forgot to pen down what I wanted to say.
When baby 2 was born, the same 'buzz' feeling came over me. Just like when our baby no. 1 was born. Only thing is the feeling is less intense than no. 1. Yes, it was an emotional moment for me. The kind of buzz that makes your eyes well up and feeling of semi-euphoria.

brain can't think now... gtg...

Fatherhood ... part 2...

2008-08-31T15:05:00.004+08:00

Yes.. I'm going to be a father .... 'again'.
Hehe.... Don't get me wrong. It just means that baby no. 2 is coming soon.

Though not as anxious and excited as compared to our first child, my head is filling with thoughts of sleepness nights of feeding, burping, bathing the baby and changing diapers and such.

I guess my wife and I are a lot more prepared this time round. So, it should be slightly less crazy for us. Many lessons (at times quite painful and heart-aching) were learnt and we're quite certain that we'll be better mommy and daddy of baby no. 2.

Don't misunderstand the title of this entry. I deeply love my boy and the coming baby no. 2. Though at times I'm quite guilty of not being able to give them as much quality time as I would have liked to.

During these many months of unexpected happenings in school of life and death, have made me deeply ponder over what are the most fundermental and important things in life. To me, that is your family, your kids and your own life. To take care of them, I've got to first take good care of myself. So, its going to be less char kway teow and ice-cream from now on. I hope that for the remaining part of the year will see me with a little bit more time to be with my family and to try to find myself again.

So... back to the drawing board... its plan plan plan and more planning.... oh yah... lets not forget the marking first.

Think think whats it all about

2008-08-31T14:21:00.003+08:00

After some long weeks, it is time to reflect on the past, present and future. HEhehe... Sounds like some seer or something.

Today is the 1st day of the eighth lunar month of the Chinese calendar. It also marks the end of the Seventh lunar month or also commonly known as the Chinese Hungry Ghost month.
Blog entry of Hungry Ghost month writeup

Tomorrow (1st Sep 08) starts the month of the Muslim fasting month (Ramadan). Sometimes I wonder. Just how much do the non-muslims, especially the Chinese young ones know about their other friend's religion and why. I just feel that the current younger generation, though with such ease of opportunity to access to vast amounts of information (both good and bad), many probably still can't 'feel' for their friends of other ethnic groups.

I always wonder, why can't they have a compulsory national educational module to ensure that all the kids of from Primary school and especially in secondary school too, to be explicitly taught why do the other ethnic group do certain things and the rationale behind it. The current superficial mode of teaching is just simple appreciation without much involvement and true understanding. National education schemes of visits to mosques, churches, temples, etc are normally quick and hurried without much real immersion. Thus the kids probably just treat it like any other field trip.

There are some schools that do a bit beyond to ensure that their pupils really do learn and appreciate racial harmony a little bit more. But I think it will take time, and it is never too late for the people at the top to start thinking about raising the bar for schools to get their kids into knowing and understanding more of the 'racialness' of their friends' unique culture and religion.

Oh yah... and Happy Teacher's Day to all!!
Aiya... this year's teacher's day kenna makaned again...

National Day!

2008-08-08T14:53:00.006+08:00

Horay! Its National Day again!
Too bad it is not like last year where it was 4 full days of long weekend. Frankly speaking I'm quite flat out like a bunch of flattened rolled oats. Tired, fatigued due to insufficient slumber.
I still have the prelim papers to mark this weekend. Hope to clear them quickly.

Oh yes.. I'm not too sure if this is considered a cause for celebration or lamentation. I've just gotten my emplacement notification! Finally! After 4.5 years of study, sacrifice and madness, I have completed my part-time degree and now gotten my emplacement onto the graduate scale.

Well, on one hand I should be happy that I'm finally put on the graduate scale. But on the other hand with only a difference of an extra 27 dollars of gross monthly and my salary range ceiling dropping by $500 in this new graduate salary scale, I really don't know whether I should laugh or cry.

Well, being the eternal optimist (most of the time), I hope its an error of sorts and perhaps its some form of technicality or something.

Enjoy the nice weekend! And Happy Birthday Singapore!!!!

God... I love my country.... Do you?

at the moment

2008-07-21T22:19:00.002+08:00

listening to Michael Buble and setting my prelim paper.
Still stuck at two more questions.

tired. physically. got to get snooze. Can't think liao.
But have to complete the setting. argh.

must get racial harmony wear by this thurs.
Went to Block 201 area around the Afghanistan food place, but the shop that sells Malay traditional wear has closed and no longer around. Jia lat. Where got time to go get something appropriate. sigh.

A picture of tata

2008-06-29T15:58:00.003+08:00

This was taken during the time I was revising for my statistics exam. Tata found it quite comfy to lie on my pile of notes.

FHA 08

2008-06-26T21:13:00.000+08:00

Food and Hotel Asia 2008

Estatic

2008-06-20T16:23:00.003+08:00

This is how I felt when I read my uniSIM results online a minute ago.
Yup! After all these years of hardship and pain. Its over... for now.
Finally, I have completed my part-time degree that had cost me not just an arm and a leg, but a fair bit of my natural lifespan too.

OK, what next you say? A masters degree of course!
Not now though. Need to get back some normalcy in my life especially family life whereby I've been a 'missing' dad and hubby for quite sometime. Not very healthy actually. So my advice to those contemplating a part-time degree....DON'T! Please go full-time. Earn, beg, borrow but don't steal money to see yourself through.
I intend to do that for my future Masters degree which I will definitely go full-time (esp 2 years I think) should I decide to take it up. Gotta have a minimum 3 years break to both recover my senses and also to save up enough dough to go full time without pay for around 2 years or so. Unless..... I strike it rich though the lottery and get a quarter million ($250K), then I might just quit my job to study full-time. Hahhahahaaa..... Like thats going to happen.

Sigh....

Been thinking much...

2008-06-07T00:01:00.002+08:00

Actually, I had been thinking and thinking and thinking.
I'm really thinking too much here, but can't help it.
Been thinking about Life. The meaning of life and everything about it. The standard fundamental questions like "Why I am born here? What am I supposed to do in this life...etc"

Anyway, I guess in the end, the answers can only be one. No answer.
As my philosophy of life becomes clearer, I can only think of "Help yourself.. Harr? Waht? What did you say? Oh... Orrr... then please help yourself..." Yah... I say that to everyone. Especially when students ask me questions that are not too difficult and can be easily found in the textbook or from basic common sense.

Sigh... I think I miss practising Kendo. Had a dream about it some days back. With little no.2 coming soon in a few months... argh... *poof*... the dream of going back to practise Kendo got to wait once more. You see, to go back to practising Kendo is not as easy as one thinks. To go back means to go back for good, or at least for a long good, maybe a few confirmed years without any disruptions. Actually it is something which I would want to practise till the day I grow very old and maybe can no longer walk... then perhaps I'll stop practising Kendo then.

Been looking back lately and kinda missed many of my friends and former colleagues from my previous school. I really hope they are all in good health and all ok. Though many of those that I knew and sorta 'grew up' with from there, are mostly gone (some left for other schools, some resigned, some disappeared).

The current feeling is weird. Can't quite describe it, but it is like having slime behind your neck. Hgaha.... can't imagine eh?

Ugh.. sleeping time... its past midnight...
Bye bye June hols...

Sheeshh...

2008-05-27T00:22:00.003+08:00

Yayyy!!! I'm officially a dead person....
:P

The last paper is finally over!
The paper that I expected to do well is unexpectedly nuts!
Nuts as in out of this world!
Out of this world as in its too crazy to comprehend!
In short... I think I flunked it shamelessly.

Anyway... I have tried my best and have not let myself down... errr... who am I kidding?
Seriously speaking, the paper was indeed very tough. Many of the expected questions didn't come out (though in the past year's papers those were common questions and important ones too).

Quite a few new ones though. Yes I mean brand new questions appeared. The worst thing is that those questions were not even clear!

Two possible scenarios that may happen from now:
1. Results come out and confirm my failure for the paper and I need to resit for the paper at year end = Pay to retake & no emplacement.

2. Results come out and I pass due to moderation as there were too many failures. No need to resit for the paper at year end = Emplacement & more pay.

Sigh... of course the 2nd scenario would be the best. But I am keeping my fingers crossed and be prepared to resit for the paper at year end... double sigh....

Countdown... 7 more hours to go

2008-05-26T12:23:00.003+08:00

Last paper in 7 hours time (7.30pm). Doing my final prep and revision.
Computer comms. Still a little stuck at calculating the quotient thing for the modulo 2 arithmetic.

Only left the spanning tree alogorithm concept to go through.

[Above pic, something to inspire a little bit of zen-like calm to the mind.]

Exam exam exam... Stressed.... or Dessert?

2008-05-21T16:46:00.003+08:00

2nd and last paper to clear this Monday.
Just done the open book Stats paper last week Thursday. It was a killer. Crossing my fingers that I will pass that module.

Upcoming one on Monday will hopefully be my last. If all things goes well, I will get my emplacement. Worse case situation is that I flunk on of the papers and have to repeat that module and retake the exams at end of the year...uuuggghhhh.....
4 and a half years of part-time study is enough for me liao.

Last paper, Computer comms... here I come....

Pls Donate to Red Cross Society to help victims of the Myanmar Cyclone Nargis

2008-05-09T15:23:00.002+08:00

Enough said in the newspapers and other media.
Please help encourage people to donate to the Red Cross Society.

I have donated... Have you?
More news from the International Red Cross and Red Cresent Society.

Today's headline news. 100,000 dead. And probably the numbers will continue to rise with the aftermath. The sight pictures of little kids with their entire family wiped out overnight is heartwrenching.

So, everyone else please do your part and encourage friends and family around you to donate generously to Red Cross Society.

Oh yes... Never give to suspicious people claiming they are from Red Cross Society. Go to their website to find out how to donate.

Exam fever....

2008-05-06T01:06:00.003+08:00

Ugh... my last two papers coming up. One next week and the other two weeks later. Coupled with Sch exams and marking... You tell me how to study?

I am really crossing my fingers and really hope to pass by dumb luck. Anyway, you cannot really pass even if you are dumb and have luck. Haha.. lame joke.

Seriously folks, I have serious doubts in passing next week's paper on Statistics. I have missed so much lectures and lessons for the last couple of months! Now I am just aiming for the confirmed questions and mug those plus the ones (topics) I am confident of.

I am quite prepared to retake this statistics module of mine should I fail the paper. Sigh... this would mean retaking the exam at the end of the year and say bye bye to my emplacement this mid year.

As for the other module on Computer comms, I am mildly confident of passing but zero hopes on getting any OK OK scores.

I'm going to go mad... So much marking (for CA) to clear by end of tomorrow (Tues) and my exam papers will drop onto my lap on Wed... *shakes head*
Die liao lah...

Yah yah yah... I noticed I blog more entries when I have my exams nearing... arrgghh... I must be stressed out, I guess....

Its not my fault, its all because of the coffee...

2008-04-27T17:13:00.002+08:00

This is not good. After finding a nearby coffee shop that sells gooooooooooooooood coffee, I think I had been hooked to it. Its the reason why I had been starting to get hyper lately and typing so much of late.

As it is, I probably have never been so busy in my entirely life,... as in with work, students, studies, family responsibilities and etc. But still, the fundermental thing (after drinking coffee) is that you cannot and must not lose yourself to work and other important, urgent but actually are not really that important and urgent.

This reminds me of the song, "Losing my religion" by REM.

I think I had lost myself after treading through the swamp of work and other 'important & urgent' things. You know, it is really bad that when you get 'lost', your character, your personality, and the worse is your smile gets eroded. Imagine soil erosion from being exposed to too much rain.

I am slowly trying to re-find myself again and to get back in touch with my family and friends whom I have 'lost' quite a bit through these years of 'mud-swamp' trudging called 'work'.

Last week, went to the FHA 08 at Singapore Expo and saw quite a few interesting new food innovations and equipment. It was immense. Couldn't get to see the whole thing but got back quite a bit of product knowledge and stuff. If you are thinking of going, forget it. It is for trade professionals only. Not open to the public. Okay... FHA 2010.. I'll be back again...

Oh how morbid life is...

2008-04-26T00:33:00.003+08:00

National Geographic story

Life is full of death and life and death and life.....
It is powerful instances like these that turn some people 180 degree around or spur them to do either great things or terrible things. Normally you don't get the inbetweens.

I was reading the latest Reader's Digest (May issue) earlier in the evening and read the article on the Malaysian female doctor who went to Afghanistan to help and it hits you when you try to even think about how it must feel for a country with so much grief.

It has been a very long long while since I had any time to enjoy a book. Ahh.... the simple pleasures to reading a book. How enriching and satisfying to the brain and soul. It somehow gets you back in touch with your spiritual self a little.

gtg n zzz now.
Hmm... rice is not cheap....

Quick update

2008-04-22T00:05:00.005+08:00

Photo of my boy boy's birthday cake during his 1 year old birthday celebration some time back. Sigh.... I miss my little son already...

Quickie update:
1. Just had curry puff, the swirly fried type. Not so good. Curry powder taste. Potato seemed not so cooked.

2. Coffee at the tutorial earlier in the evening at uniSIM was horrible. Bitter and bleah... bleah... the tea was fine as usual.

3. Today staff room seemed ghostly quiet with many teachers away. Not sure what could be the reason. Thankfully no noon meeting today. Could catch up with a little bit of admin. Arrgghh... the backlogs of work and marking are haunting me! Hope I don't get a nightmare tonight...

4. Ugghh... Exam is coming soon... Also have 2 assignments to clear by the weekend... double uuuggghhhh...

5. I want...... the yet to come HP 2133 mini-note PC

Coffee addict? Me? Mua? No no no...

2008-04-16T20:57:00.003+08:00

Had a good cuppa kopi from the nearby coffeeshop earlier this evening and now feeling the effects and brain is going overdrive...
Good and bad I trhink... coz a myriad of feelings, thoughts, and funny stuff running threough my brain now.

So might as well type something before my juice runs dry.
Actually got to reset my exam papers. Apparently it needs more tweaking. A good thing though coz if not, it might not be at the proper level that it is supposed to be. Hehehehe.... u kids better study well and hard ah... later I come to you and say my "you see lah... I tell you so right? Didn't study lah."

First off. I have to give tribute to my former secondaruy school history teacher, Miss Koh who died in the SilkAir Crash in 2001.
She taught our class (Sec 3 then) History and was an amazing teacher. She managed to soothe even the most savage beast. We sorta had one in our class then. He was a rebel and a heavy metal music fan. Only in History lesson was he in full attention and that was what amazed me. Unfortunately Miss Koh left our sch to Fairfield the following year and a different teacher came in to teach us History in our Sec 4. I remembered I was a joker then who constantly disrupted her lessons which was PAINFULLY boring. Now I am getting retribution. hahaha.... Sigh..
She was one of the sources of inspiration for me to go into teaching and yesterday I was reminded about her during our staff contact time when a colleague spoke of inspiration and about the SilkAir crash thing... sob sob...

Second off. I miss being the old me. I miss my usual hyperself who always questions and discovers and the spirit of trying new things, to put square plugs into semi circle holes... hahahaha....
Nuts... Anyway, I think I have grown old. Mature some might say. I now sort of yak less than I used to. White hair has begun to take root and male pattern baldness is setting in... *horrors*...

Thirdly... can't think of anything now... OK... this means its time to get out of this blogging and go back to work.
To do list for tonight:
1. Finishing touches on Sec 3 lessons for tmr (got to get them to do exercises on energy and meal planning). Stupid photocopying machine spoilt. Got to run around finding working photocopying machine to print my materials.
Arrgghhh... tmr is hell day.

2. Exam paper!!! Argghhh..... sigh....

3. Marking? Siao ah! Where got time? HEhehhehee.... this is what happens when you are with teenagers.... they sort of influence you in your blogging speech... Of course I'm not like that in person.. hehehe... (Imagine Garfield on a coffee high)...

How I miss everything

2008-04-14T00:23:00.002+08:00

I think it is going to be difficult to get back to Kendo again.
Sigh... raising a kid is really not easy. And it probably won't get any easier in the coming years.

Before my little boy came into our lives, I could fully utilise my weekend to clear my admin and sch work. Now its like fighting a guerrilla war. Only when he is sleeping then I could hurriedly squeeze the 2-3 hrs to do some work. Tough tough.....

Think I got to reschedule my return (hopefully) to Kendo training in 8-10 years later.

Been fatigued lately. This first part of the year has been relentless. Feel like there has been no time to really recharge your batteries at all. Work, family, and all the nonsense happenings. How I miss my Katsu don and more quality time with my loved ones...

Counting my blessing and blastings

2008-03-24T22:49:00.002+08:00

I must blog this entry.
It will be short and maybe cryptic.
I love my love and hate my hate.
For the one and many whom crossed my path through the invisible airwaves, and shared their bright sun-light, my blessings to you and me.
For the blastings and screamings, it is impossible to see,
I've not quite come across such delicacy.
Oh no... I'm rhyming away...
Chey...
*smiles*

Volare (Latin: To fly)

2008-03-11T00:47:00.002+08:00

Some more nostalgia to perk one up.
Volare is by the Gypsy Kings and it's tempo is very upbeat and catchy. Gets you in the mood to dance a little.

Assignments and more assignments to clear. A bit more marking to do. Then the admin to tackle. OK, Tomorrow Tues is off-day. So going to do zero work and keep my missus company as she took the day off. Have to go and buy clothes and stuff for boy boy. His clothes are getting a wee bit tight for him now...

It slowly sinks in...

2008-03-10T00:48:00.002+08:00

In the still of the night and working on my assignment, I'm thinking about who am I and how much have I changed through the years. The feeling of fatherhood is only starting to sink in, now that my boy is past 1 year old. I sorta suddenly feel super old. Old as in maturity and the willing acceptance to hardship for the sake of your children.

Yes, life is hard. As much as many would say your job is better than theirs. Everyone says that the grass is always greener at the other side.

Ugh. this Sat & Sun went back to sch to open gate and settle admin stuff for my Scout members. In a few hours, got to go to sch for my graduating kids' remedial for their coursework. Hope that their progress today will be fruitful and abundant. Hahaahaa...

Sigh... later in the night got tutorial... I really hope later in the noon I can spare time to give myself enforced nap time. I think I look worse than a anorexic panda. Almost always try to squeeze the afternoon time to clear as much admin as I can. sigh...

ughgh... brain juice at minus 10% now... gotta go zzzz...

Oh yah.. embedded the youtube of Joshua Kadison - Jessie. Brings back a lot of nostalgia of my long gone youth. hahaha.... I'm so old... Got to get me some anti-aging cream or youth elixir... *grins*

Blank

2008-03-08T16:14:00.003+08:00

Been blogging less as my creative juices had been on a long dry spell. I've always thought of me to be quite creative and always wanting to go on discoveries and go learn new things. Keep the mind fresh and supple. But of late, I feel like a dead log, a pile of manure, a mush of rotten garbage, a pool of stagnant water breeding mosquito larva, a sleeping sloth and a bunch of other things that slows and poisons the mind to insanity...

Haaa.... I feel much better now.
Guess the act of thinking and writing takes effort and just writing does the trick. Nothing helps better than thinking of funny stuff to stimulate your frontal lobe.

It has been some months now in the new place, new environment, new school. The people there is great, and some are amazing.
The kids are great too. Most are a wonderful bunch, except for a couple or two who aspires to be non-conformists and antagonists.

Admin work is nuts. Though I target to clear a good 70-80% of it by the end of the March hols.

Hmmm.... Am wondering how are my ex-sch colleagues and how are they doing... Hope they get to relax a bit this March hols.

Back to my marking.. Should be able to clear them by Sunday night.

Sigh.... How I miss my katsudon... oh my tonkitchi....

CNY 2008

2008-02-05T17:16:00.000+08:00

Monday's lecture on comp comms was ok. I surprised myself for being awake and alert for the most part of the lecture as the day before was a late night with some admin work and a-la-minute lesson prep plus the noon workshop thing for the Sec 3D class. Didn't had time to rest at all.

Comp comms sort of give me a feeling reminiscence to T223 Microprocesor based computers. A lot of binary and hexadecimal calculation stuff. This last semester of two modules I'm taking (Statistics and Comp comms), seem like two tough cookies, yet they are stirring a sense of excitement in me. Perhaps it is because I'm into the final stage of my degree and after slogging for > 4 years, I'm finally about to complete my degree. Money money money.. give me my money....

It has been very tough for me in this last couple of weeks, trying to catch up with all the admin stuff. Hope to clear the bulk of it soon.
Ugghh... Gtg now.

Happy Lunar New Year 2008!!!

My table

2008-01-31T15:28:00.001+08:00

A pic of my messy table at the office.
Got the metal shelves from IKEA at around 50 and 40 dollars.
Got to go off soon. First lecture tonight at 7pm. Think I'd better set off by 5pm to take the train to Clementi, grab some grub and head to uniSIM.
Hmmm..... yah... need to print and prepare my notes first.

I hope all will be well for me this last semester. *Crossing my fingers*

Ciaoz...

no water

2008-01-29T08:59:00.000+08:00

Yesterday was a disaster. In the middle of the lower sec food practical session, the taps went dry! It was the same for the other lab too.
This is the first time I have experienced this and the kids' hands were dirty with the cutting of the chicken meat and such.
Shessh....

Its 5 weeks into the school term and things seems to be normalising.
Though I'm still quite behind my marking, planning and documenting... the pace seems to have normalised a little.

I do hope to complete much of my marking and documenting by Friday.

Cheerio!

Tired....tired...tired...

2008-01-07T23:42:00.000+08:00

I have a feeling that this body of mine will give way soon.
Had been running on adrenaline for the last 1 week since school reopened.
Still have so many things to do, plan, work, discuss, meet, think.
Better go and zzzz now. Can't think straight.

Augh... How I wished that during the Dec period I was let off by my previous school so I could have prepared the bulk of the work before the start of school.
Now, it is a hectic mess and my brain is filled to the brim with schedules, meetings, targets, planning, to-do lists, etc.

Everybody tells me to take it one step at a time, but there is NO TIME!
Coursework A is starting this week, then there is the Part B, lower sec.
OK. Stop now.
Go to sleep.
The week has only just started.
Auugghhhh......

First few days of sch...

2008-01-03T22:53:00.000+08:00

It has been an exhausting and mad mad 2 days of intensive work work work... felt like it was a full 1-2 weeks of work...
Thought I better start putting some stuff here before it starts to grow mouldy....

Different place, different environment, but generally I feel that there isn't too much different from Regent in terms of students.
Kids will be kids... There are good ones and there are naughty ones and of course there are the nonsense ones too.
Its a matter of more or less...

The construction at the school has been making me sneeze often.
Sensitive nose...
Thought of wearing a filter mask... that might help... but it'll probably give me an instant appointment with the Principal.

Anyway.. Didn't get any time to properly rest at all... since Nov, work work work all the way till end of Dec then I could be let off from the ridiculous responsibilities tied to my last school.

Am I happier here? As they say, the grass is always greener at the other side.... Reminds me of the comic "The Far Side" by Gary Larson.
I guess the answer is... No idea... at least not yet...

Got to go now... Have to prepare a bit for tomorrow's lesson...
Cheerio...

*Looking forward to Chinese New Year*

Time to break the news...

2007-11-22T22:41:00.000+08:00

Yes, I guess its a good time now to break the news to those who are still in the dark. I'll be moving to the East (Tampines) and have gotten a school there. So, won't be seeing you guys/kids/etc from Jan 08. Tata...

Yes, after so many years in Rgt, there is a definite tinge of sadness and nostalgia about the school. The staff room, the friendly and caring people around, the corridorways of the kids getting 'private' tuition from their teachers, the 'good morning' greeting from the kids as you walk past them, my great RC kids doing wonderful work together, the irregular morning cuppa with the insightful conversations with the regular morning gang at the canteen, the a-la-minute afternoon lunches with the HE team, the dept retreats at interesting places, the collegiality and dynamics of the A&I team, etc..etc.. . Will be missing much of it all....
So, my sincere thanks to all the lovely people in Rgt who have left a footprint or two in my life. Thank you all...

The last couple of weeks had been impossibly mindboggling with the sheer amount of admin work and its still impossibly immense at the moment. With the Cockpit stuff giving us hiccups and camps and stuff. Argh! How I wish there is no need to do all these stuff. Sigh... I hope for the day that I'll be dumping all the piles of paper on my table into the recycling bin.

Its late and gotta go and zzzz...
tomorrow got to fight another battle with the open house and cockpit emergency stuff.. arghh...

Exam time again

2007-11-10T14:23:00.000+08:00

Ugh... it is exam time again...
Intro to Java programming...
Open book exam... die already...
Paper is on Tues...

Hey! Our school is in the papers!

2007-10-26T17:28:00.000+08:00

Its a good feeling to see the school being mentioned in the papers, plus photos too!

Click here to read all about it...

Grreeebit!

2007-09-08T10:44:00.000+08:00

This angry-looking toad was found underneath some wooden boards. This pic was taken many months ago.

Life of some teachers is very much like this toad.
Why? Because we're almost always so busy that we are like
constantly living underground and at times quite out of touch with
what is going on out there. Give you an example, I've not been to Tiong Bahru for a very long while (many years) and just recently went there for lunch with colleagues. This brought back quite a bit of nostalgia and some things that were previously there are no longer existed. The old Tiong Bahru flats along one particular stretch were replaced with new HDB flats which saddens me.
I have a lot of memories around that area and Chinatown too.
Sigh... But with rapid progress, this is what you get. Look at China Town. It has completely lost its life essence and it now looks more like a theme park to me. I grew up in the southern part of the island and the change is quite dramatic. Look at SAFRA Mt Faber, look at the new bridge linking Mt Faber & Telok Blangah Green, the Pearl, VivoCity. Sigh... Think I'm getting old.

The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over the Lazy Dog

2007-08-06T18:20:00.000+08:00

National Geographic Photo gallery
Yes, Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jumps over the candle stick and got his pants burnt... Good wallpaper for your desktop I think.
The coming weekend is going to be a long weekend and should be a good good break for all. I hope I can accomplish much sch work work as much as I can coz the long weekend would mean family time and zero time for work. Weekends has been family as in help to take care of boy boy and really zero time to do any school admin work.

Hmmm... miss my son already now. Better pack my things and hurry home now. Sheesh... I really need to clear my very messy table. Too much paper rubbish...

Much ado about everything...

2007-07-29T13:54:00.000+08:00

Finally! I have found a sliver of time to type some rants and idle banter...
Its been almost one and a half months of blogging inactivity, so what has become of me?

My wife just plucked a complete white hair from my head and I thought, "Darn! I'm getting old... Gotta go and get some hair tonic..."

Some thoughts and happenings to update.
My little boy is as active as ever. He just sprouted his two little pearls of white on his lower gums last week and has been fairly voracious in trying out semi-solids.

I must tell you, preparing (semi-solid) food for a baby starting to wean is no joke. Anyway, it is my wife that does it though, but it is troublesome and quite tedious at times to prepare. No wonder convenience baby food is quite saleable.

Lately I've been thinking a lot about Kendo and thinking about when will I be able to commence training on a regular basis. Probably the earliest time would be end of next year when things should get a little bit more settled. Anyway, see lah.

Sigh... the new term at uniSIM is starting next week and it is going to be another roller coaster ride again... *looks at the course materials and rolls eyes*... ugh..

Bumped into quite a few old friends from NIE and had a short gathering session last Friday at Holland V.

gtg soon. Gotta bring boy boy down for walk walk...
Cheerio...
[Sorry.. No pics today. Have not transfered the photos from my camera to notebook yet. Busy busy with other work]

Baby oh baby

2007-06-14T11:29:00.000+08:00

OK, here is a rare glimpse of my boy boy.
Not been blogging since 13 Apr... wahhh... 2 months long.
Well.. its the usual excuses like: reservist lah, bring cats to the vet for check up and administer medication for them lah, bring boy boy out to shopping centres lah, etc..etc..

Anyway, June holidays is always a funny period where you feel like you are in the Twilight Zone or something. Haha... not used to the holiday time given after working like a dog during term time. It is just a weird sort of feeling like you are in outer space of nothingness and awesome beauty of the expansive universe around you. Hehe..

Next week is the last week of June hols and it will be the time when things will go into high gear. Lotsa planning to do next week.
In the meantime... let me enjoy the pristine emptiness of the awe-inspiring outer space....

*grins*